Marijuana Withdrawal

Is marijuana withdrawal real? Yes! Just like with other drugs of addiction, marijuana users experience withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms of marijuana withdrawal include irritability, anger, depressed mood, headaches, restlessness, lack of appetite, and cravings for marijuana. These withdrawal symptoms can make it hard for a habitual user of marijuana to stop. Symptoms of marijuana withdrawal first appear in serious habitual users within the first 8 hours and are the most noticeable during the first 10 days. However, withdrawal symptoms may last as long as 45 days. The withdrawal from marijuana is identifiable by behavioral and emotional distress.

Research by a group of scientists studying the effects of heavy marijuana use suggests that withdrawal from the use of marijuana is similar to what is experienced by people when they quit smoking cigarettes. Abstinence from each of these drugs appears to cause several common symptoms such as irritability, anger, and trouble sleeping. This information is based on self reporting in a recent study of 12 heavy users of both marijuana and cigarettes.

The symptoms of marijuana withdrawal include but are not limited to:

anorexia

anxiety

decreases in appetite and mood

increased aggression / anger

insomnia

irritability

physical tension

physical tension

restlessness

stomach pain

strange dreams

There are now several clinical trials showing that mice and dogs show evidence of marijuana withdrawal. (For THC-addicted dogs, it is the abnormal number of wet-dog shakes that give them away.) Today, scientists have a much better picture of the jobs performed by anandamide, the body’s own form of THC. This knowledge helps explain a wide range of THC withdrawal symptoms.

Among the endogenous tasks performed by anandamide are pain control, memory blocking, appetite enhancement, the suckling reflex, lowering of blood pressure during shock, and the regulation of certain immune responses. These functions shed light on common hallmarks of marijuana withdrawal, such as anxiety, chills, sweats, flu-like physical symptoms, and decreased appetite. At Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, where a great deal of National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) funded research takes place, researchers have found that abrupt marijuana withdrawal leads to symptoms similar to depression and nicotine withdrawal.

Need more proof that marijuana withdrawal is “real”? Teen treatment for marijuana dependence is on the rise, but, researchers have discovered, there's a catch – marijuana withdrawal symptoms, much like those experienced by people quitting cigarettes, cocaine or other drugs, may make abstinence more difficult to achieve.

A new study in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence shows that teens that use marijuana frequently also may face the same withdrawal symptoms that have been found to challenge adult marijuana users trying to quit. Ryan Vandrey, a graduate student in psychology, and Alan Budney, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Vermont, studied 72 adolescent marijuana users seeking outpatient treatment for substance abuse.

Participants in the study were heavy marijuana users ages 14 to 19, who were primarily male Caucasians, and who completed study questionnaires. Nearly two-thirds of the participants reported experiencing four or more symptoms of marijuana withdrawal, including anxiety, aggression, and irritability. More than one-third of participants reported four or more symptoms that occurred at a moderate or greater severity level.

Marijuana Withdrawal: Anxiety, Aggression, Irritability

"In the adolescents who provided information, we observed a lot of variability regarding the presence and severity of marijuana withdrawal symptoms, which is consistent with what we have seen in several studies of adults who use marijuana frequently," said Vandrey. "Overall, our research indicates that the majority of people who abruptly stop daily or near daily marijuana use experience some withdrawal symptoms. Though there is anecdotal evidence that withdrawal makes it more difficult to quit using marijuana and that people use marijuana to suppress withdrawal effects, we still need to more carefully investigate how withdrawal impacts the quitting process." Budney's future research aims to address this and other questions related to the clinical importance of marijuana withdrawal and more generally to develop and test more effective methods for helping those who seek to stop using marijuana.

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Marijuana Facts

When it comes to spotting signs of marijuana and other drug use parents should be aware of changes in their child’s behavior, although this may be difficult with teens. Parents should look for withdrawal, depression, fatigue, carelessness with grooming, hostility, and deteriorating relationships with family members and friends. In addition, changes in academic performance, increased absenteeism or truancy, lost interest in sports or other favorite activities, and changes in eating or sleeping habits could be related to marijuana use. However, these signs may also indicate problems other than use of drugs.

When users combine marijuana with alcohol, as they often do, the hazards of driving can be more severe than with either drug alone. In a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a moderate dose of marijuana alone was shown to impair driving performance; however, the effects of even a low dose of marijuana combined with alcohol were markedly greater than those of either drug alone.

Why would my child use marijuana? Some young people who use marijuana do not get along with their parents. Some have a network of friends who use drugs and urge them to do the same (peer pressure). All aspects of a child’s environment—home, school, neighborhood—help to determine whether the child will try drugs.

Marijuana Facts: What is Marijuana?I need to know marijuana facts about this drug. Marijuana, also known as Pot (Amazingly, there are over 200 slang terms for this drug!) is a green mixture of dried and shredded flowers or leaves of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. It alters one’s mind and senses and happens to be the most abused illegal drug in the United States. The primary active ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta 9 tetrhydrocannabinol).

Marijuana Facts: What Does Marijuana Look Like? What are some marijuana facts about what this drug looks like? Marijuana varies in its appearance. Its color ranges from green to gray to brown depending on what variety it is. The physical appearance of the drug is a mixture of dried leaves, sticks, and flowers. Some would even compare its appearance to oregano.

Marijuana Facts: How is Marijuana Taken? I’d like to know marijuana facts about how users take this drug? Users typically smoke marijuana. However, some take the drug by baking it in their food or brewing it in their tea. When it comes to smoking marijuana, there are several methods. Some will roll it into a cigarette called a "joint". Others will put it into an empty cigar casing known as a "blunt." Another common method of smoking marijuana is to put the drug into a pipe or a water-pipe called a "bong."

Marijuana Facts: What are Marijuana’s Effects? Can you tell me marijuana facts about the effects of this drug? Users of marijuana typically experience an elevated mood and relaxation. However, some users experience hallucinations and paranoia which can be very scary and overwhelming.